[swativ04]

Hello everybody!

I am doing a college project about traditional hairstyles in South India, specially the ones where flowers are used.

Could you please tell me ANY information about ANY hairstyle that you have seen in childhood or which you know about? If nobody does that hairstyle anymore, it is even better because our project is to document the traditional styles not the new ones.

For example how we stitch flowers on the hair and make jadai pinnal. sometimes we use thazhambu also. if you also know the specific occasion when it is made, or any rules regarding when it should not be done or when it is more auspicious etc please add that also. Please share your personal experience also, who made it for you? Where did you get the flowers? Your favourite flowers?

And if you have any old photographs of yourself or family member and you are willing to give me for the project, I will be very thankful to you!

Thank you all!

[scorpiogal]

Hi Swati

Nice Project .Though I am not an expert regarding this I can give u few hints as when the thazham poo is done.its usually done after varalaksmi pooja because thats the season and after pooja is done then use it for the girls .the use the petals like like ribbon with the regular jadai pinnal .

I remember my mom doing that every year to me until I was 10 .

Also during weddings we have the pinnal with the Raakodi and flowers sourrounding it .

[Traveller]

Swati,

Wish you good luck with your project. You took me down memory lane:) I'll try and recollect to my best ability.

When we went to my grandma's home (maternal) for navrathri, the cook maami dressed the girls up in what we call 'mattai'. basically it's made like this: the fibre from betel nut plant (paaku mattai) is soaked and cut into desired length. this is used as the base for preparing the mattai. then using thick needles different flowers like jasmine, kanakambaram, marugu were sewn into a pattern. mostly the pattern were straight lines with bigger flowers added according to the creator's ability. actually the maid servant that worked in my grandma's home was a pookari (flower decorator) by profession. so she used to make it for us. this mattai was stitched onto our plaited hair using vaazhai naar (fibre of banana plant). kunjalam was added to the end of the pinnal.

the mattai could be worn for several days. we always removed it after our rounds of navarathiri was over. then it was wrapped in a moist cloth. that way it stayed fresh atleast for 4-5 days.

on occasions when we got thaazhampoo it was kind of plaited onto the hair (what we call aayiram kaal pinnal or french plait). no additional decoration was added to this else it would spoil the thaazhampoo's amazing smell.

on weddings our hairs were adorned with gold ornaments like jadabillai etc.,

i do hope you understand tamil because for many terms i can't explain in english. oh those days....

Latha

[Gowri66]

Sorry for my interference in this thread !!

Just wanted to tell Latha...
Wow!! nice to read your words...taking me to my teens !!
Oru trip poittu vanduten !!
thankspa..

With love.

[ubellah]

A different and beautiful topic to do a project..though I have nothing to add from my side, I eagerly wait to read other's posts....

[Traveller]

thank you Gowri. Swati again sorry to deviate from the main topic but this thread made me remember all those wonderful childhood days. my maternal side we are 3 girl cousins (all rest boys) and we used to so much look forward to getting together and get dressed up. My mom's hometown is Salem and flowers are in abundance there. me and one other cousin had long hair. for the other cousin my aunt used to tie 'savuri' or false hair and make such hairstyles. wearing pattu pavadai... i really miss those innocent days. i don't know if girls these days get to wear those. may be in small towns still yes:)

on weddings too the bride was dressed up in this way. my mom used to say that in her mom's days they had particular flowers for each day of the wedding. she can't remember herself clearly what those flowers are so i can't update you on that.

Latha

[swativ04]

Oh my God! I had not expected such fascinating responses on the first day itself! it's so nice to read all your experiences and very kind of you al to share this with me....

If anybody knows anymore plus extra details about th ones which are already mentioned, then please add that also because we have to literally write a book about this topic.

I travelled to Madurai and Bangalore and I went to the markets and farms where the flowers are grow and I met the farmers who grow them. So the background information is there but the most exciting part - the hairstyles using flowers is something I can get from ladies who share their wonderful memories with me!!!

For the ones who have so generously shared their personal experiences here and for the ones who will, I want to mention that I will definitely add your names in the book's acknowledgements section. very kind of you all!!!

Thankyou again!!!